[Public-List] Seacocks and gate valves.

[Mike Lehman]

Mark,
 
I can add to what Rachel has said - but the plumbing you describe is not standard. The engine intake on all of the boats I have seen is always a dedicated trhu hull to engine intake. Someone must have added a "T" later. I too added a strainer inside the boat but also kept the cover plate on the outside. Once, while motoring through Baltimore Harbor, I sucked up a plastic bag and the engine started to over heat. I was happy to have the outside strainer because it prevented the bag from being sucked up into the thru hull. All I did was to turn the engine off , the bag let go (due to the motion of the boat) and restart the engine. On another occassion, we sucked up a small water snake into the head. He was swimming around in the head and it scared Trish have to death. I just scooped him out and put him overboard, unharmed. The is no outside strainer on the head intake, so just imagine how a small snake could make its way through a 3/4" thru hull fitting, a seacock and the head pump - amazing. Imagine the problems if that was the engine intake. So leave the outside screen/strainer on.

 
Mike Lehman 

 
><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸><((((º>




_________________________________________________________________
Rediscover Hotmail®: Get quick friend updates right in your inbox. 
http://windowslive.com/RediscoverHotmail?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_HM_Rediscover_Updates1_042009
 1239801131.0